Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 5

Stacking the Shelves: 15 March 2025

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Reading Reality. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual.

Books Added to My Shelves This Week:

This week I received an eARC, a new cookbook, a thriller, and picked up a romance at Target.

eARC:

I received an eARC of the next Aspen Ridge book that releases on March 25… and I read it in a day and a half! I love this series so much and these covers are everything.

Physical:

I saw this book on Pango Books and I had some earnings to spend. I love that it’s a plant-based cookbook as sometimes it’s a pain adapting recipes.

I read this one as an ARC and finally got around to getting myself a physical copy!

I picked up Beautiful Villain at Target mostly because it has green sprayed edges but it has been on my TBR for a while.

What books did you add to your shelves this week?

First Line Friday: 14 March 2025

This week I’m joining First Line Friday. First Line Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Carrie @ Reading is My Superpower! So grab the book nearest you, your current read, or the book on top of your TBR stack and share the first line.

My pick this week is…

Storms and Secrets by Claire KingsleyBlurb:

He’s always loved her. Now he’ll fight to save her.

Zachary Haven is living a lie.

He’s stuck in a rut, pretending to hate the woman he’s always loved. He didn’t mean for things to turn out that way. But sometimes life gets out of control, especially when you’re young and stupid.

Not that he ever had a chance with her. She’s gorgeous and smart, talented and kind. And Zachary? He can’t seem to keep himself out of trouble.

Marigold Martin just met the man of her dreams.

Blowing into her life like a storm, he sweeps her off her feet. She can’t help but wonder if he’s the one. He’s a dream in a bespoke suit—and he says he wants her heart.

But nothing is as it seems.

A brush with death wakes Zachary up to the reality of his life. And his feelings for Marigold. He’s determined to make her his—convince her they were always meant to be.

But secrets run deep, and Zachary fears the man who’s after Marigold could be more than a romantic rival.

He could be the devil himself.

And Zachary might be too late to save her.

And the first line is…

Another shot of tequila was probably a mistake.

You know, I’ve never tried tequila. It was always the alcohol my mother said gave her such a bad experience that smelling it later made her queasy. But yes, in this character’s case it probably wasn’t a good idea…

First Line Friday: 28 February 2025

This week I’m joining First Line Friday. First Line Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Carrie @ Reading is My Superpower! So grab the book nearest you, your current read, or the book on top of your TBR stack and share the first line.

My pick this week is…

Deep End by Ali HazelwoodBlurb:

A competitive diver and an ace swimmer jump into forbidden waters in this steamy college romance from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis.

Scarlett Vandermeer is swimming upstream. A Junior at Stanford and a student-athlete who specializes in platform diving, Scarlett prefers to keep her head down, concentrating on getting into med school and on recovering from the injury that almost ended her career. She has no time for relationships—at least, that’s what she tells herself.

Swim captain, world champion, all-around aquatics golden boy, Lukas Blomqvist thrives on discipline. It’s how he wins gold medals and breaks records: complete focus, with every stroke. On the surface, Lukas and Scarlett have nothing in common. Until a well-guarded secret slips out, and everything changes.

So they start an arrangement. And as the pressure leading to the Olympics heats up, so does their relationship. It was supposed to be just a temporary, mutually satisfying fling. But when staying away from Lukas becomes impossible, Scarlett realizes that her heart might be treading into dangerous water…

And the first line is…

It all starts when Penelope Ross leans in over the restaurant’s solid wooden table, lifts her index finger, and declares, “Tenth circle of hell: you find the love of your life, but the sex is intensely meh.”

Well that’s one way to open the scene lol!

Can’t Wait Wednesday: The Haunting of Room 904!

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released.

The Haunting of Room 904 by Erika T. Wurth

Horror, Standalone

eBook, Hardcover, audiobook, 320 Pages

March 18, 2025 by Flatiron Books

Blurb:

From the author of White Horse (“Twisty and electric.” —The New York Times Book Review) comes a terrifying and resonant novel about a woman who uses her unique gift to learn the truth about her sister’s death.

Olivia Becente was never supposed to have the gift. The ability to commune with the dead was the specialty of her sister, Naiche. But when Naiche dies unexpectedly and under strange circumstances, somehow Olivia suddenly can’t stop seeing and hearing from spirits.

A few years later, she’s the most in-demand paranormal investigator in Denver. She’s good at her job, but the loss of Naiche haunts her. That’s when she hears from the Brown Palace, a landmark Denver hotel. The owner can’t explain it, but every few years, a girl is found dead in room 904, no matter what room she checked into the night before. As Olivia tries to understand these disturbing deaths, the past and the present collide as Olivia’s investigation forces her to confront a mysterious and possibly dangerous cult, a vindictive journalist, betrayal by her friends, and shocking revelations about her sister’s secret life.

The Haunting of Room 904 is a paranormal thriller that is as edgy as it is heartfelt and simmers with intensity and longing. Erika T. Wurth lives up to her reputation as “a gritty new punkish outsider voice in American horror.”

Why I Want to Read This Book:

Give me a historic hotel with mysterious deaths and you’ll have me eating out of the palm of your hand. This gives me Cecil Hotel vibes and I can’t wait to read it!

Will you be checking this book out? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to?

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books Set in Another Time

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and The Bookish and currently hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books Set in Another Time

This week’s TTT is about books set in another time. These can be historical, futuristic, alternate universes, or even in a world where you’re not sure when it takes place you just know it’s not right now.)

1. Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan (1838)2. Anatomy by Dana Schwartz (1817) 3. Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen by Alison Weir (1500s)4. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (1687) 5. All the Blood We Share by Camilla Bruce (1871)6. Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie (1992)7. Murder at the Mena House by Erica Ruth Neubauer (1926)8. The Cuban Heiress by Chanel Cleeton (1934)9. What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez (1884)10. Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix (1970)

What books did you choose for this prompt? Did you revise the past? Futuristic settings? Did any of mine make your list?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 24 February 2025

This week I’m linking up to It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? Hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date!

#IMWAYR is a weekly meme started on J Kaye’s blog and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

Last Week I Read:So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison

I enjoyed this one but for me none of this author’s books are as good as her debut, The Return.

Unravel Me by Jenn Plummer

I loved Sawyer and Ivy! This one isn’t as spicy as the novellas in this series but there is a reason Jenn Plummer is one of my latest auto-buy authors!

The Engagement Party by Darby Kane

I was drawn in by its comp to And Then There Were None but if you ask me what this book was about in a week I’ll give you a blank stare because it was that forgettable.

Currently Reading:Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

I’m about 50 pages into this one and really enjoying it! There have been a couple scenes where I could not contain my laughter.

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

I just listened to this one last summer but I’m doing a reread before winter ends (I say that as we’re supposed to get into the 40s today. I should have listened to it around Valentine’s Day but I had others to finish.)

Reading Next:Obsession Falls by Claire Kingsley

I think I’ll dive into this one next, I haven’t decided on my next audiobook choice though.

What are you reading and loving this week? Have you read any of these?

The Sunday Post: Internet Outages, Girls Day, and Making New Friends

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.

Internet Outages, Girls Day, and Making New Friends

Hey Book Blogger Friends! How was your week?

I didn’t get to do as much of the relaxing I talked about last weekend because our internet went down and I couldn’t stream anything on tv. It was down into Monday morning (roughly 3 days total). I did get to unplug as my phone turned into a useless brick as none of my apps were refreshing so there’s that.

Wednesday I had a girls day with my friend Adelle. We met for coffee and caught up for about 4 hours then she invited me over to make vision boards that night.

I’ve lived in my town for about 5 years now and before my friend Adelle I didn’t really have any friends to hang out with but I finally think I found a friend group on Wednesday. My friend introduced me to two of her friends and we had a blast making vision boards and having charcuterie.

Last Week on the Blog:

ARC Review: Cold As Hell by Kelley Armstrong

First Line Friday: 21 February 2025

This Week on the Blog:

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 25 February 2025

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books Set in Another Time

Can’t Wait Wednesday: The Haunting of Room 904

First Line Friday: 28 February 2025

New Book Mail on My Shelves:Physical:Library Audiobook:

First Line Friday: 21 February 2025

This week I’m joining First Line Friday. First Line Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Carrie @ Reading is My Superpower! So grab the book nearest you, your current read, or the book on top of your TBR stack and share the first line.

My pick this week is…

Unravel Me by Jenn PlummerBlurb:

Sawyer
I was ruined for anyone else from the moment Ivy walked into my life. Six years of loving each other and then she was gone, taking my heart with her. It’s been ten years since she left and no amount of time apart could change the way I feel about her. The control she still has over me is a constant reminder of the hollow space she left in my chest when she ran away.

Now she’s back, her life in tatters and hiding from her possessive ex-boyfriend. She’s hurting, and I’ll do anything to take the pain away. Even if that means I have to let her go again.

I want Ivy back in my life, but I don’t know if she feels the same. Regardless, I will do anything to prove we belong together.

But I can’t help but wonder, will she run again?

Ivy
I’ve been surviving in a life that I was manipulated into living. A life I never wanted for myself.
Now I’m unemployed, homeless, and lost.

As everything crumbles around me, I’m forced to run back to the last place I truly felt safe.
Aspen Ridge.

For ten years, I never looked back. Until now.

I planned to stay under the radar, but everything falls apart when the only man I’ve ever loved finds me, reminding me how it feels to be loved, wanted, and protected.

For the first time in a decade, hope for my future fills me.
But I can’t help but wonder, can I really just stay and pick up where we left off?

**Unravel Me is book one in the interconnected Aspen Ridge Series and can be read as a standalone. HEA guaranteed!**

And the first line is…

That stupid motherfucker.

Well someone’s mad… lol. And justifiably so! But you’ll have to read on to see why.

ARC Review: Cold as Hell by Kelley Armstrong

Cold as Hell (Haven’s Rock Book 3) by Kelley Armstrong

Thriller, Haven’s Rock #3

eBook, Hardcover, Audiobook, 352 pages

February 18, 2025 by Minotaur Books

Blurb:

New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong returns to Haven’s Rock in Cold as Hellas Casey Butler hunts down a dangerous killer during a deadly blizzard.

Haven’s Rock is a sanctuary town hidden deep in the Yukon for those who need to disappear from the regular world. Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are starting a family now that they’ve settled into their life here. As Casey nears the end of her pregnancy, she lets nothing, including her worried husband, stop her from investigating what happens in the forbidden forest outside the town of Haven’s Rock.

When one of the town’s residents is drugged and wanders too close to the edge of town, she’s dragged into the woods kicking and screaming. She’s saved in the nick of time, but the women of the town are alarmed. Casey and Eric investigate the assault just as a snowstorm hits Haven’s Rock, covering the forest. It’s there they find a frozen body, naked in the snow. With mixed accounts of the woman’s last movements, the two begin to question who they can trust—and who they can’t—in their seemingly safe haven.

My Review:

I came into this book blind. I like this author and have read and enjoyed other books by her. That being said I’m unfamiliar with this series or the one it was a spin off of but was offered an eARC from the publisher due to reviewing some of her previous books. From what I gathered Haven’s Rock is a refuge for people who have committed crimes deep in the Yukon wilderness. The main character states early in the book they have 70 residents and the character who is attacked in the prologue talks about a shared residence that only has 3 bathrooms (for I’m not sure how many people) but 2 are plugged because the residents are used to shoving whatever they want down the toilets. 

The character in the prologue is attacked and our main character who is heavily pregnant is called upon to investigate which leads to the discovery of a body in the woods. 

Looking back at the first book the body in the woods thing seems to be a common theme. The main character and her husband vaguely reminded me of characters from another series I’ve read by this author which made me instantly like them however I found that going into this book blind made it extremely hard to get into the story as I was playing catch up to figure out what this town was and what was going on. 

I would recommend it to fans of the first two books as it was an interesting read. I do not recommend jumping in here at book three like I did as you’ll be playing catch up quite a bit. 

My Rating:

3 of 5 Knives!

The Sunday Post: Valloween, Taking Back the Weekend, and Blazing Through Books

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.

Valloween, Taking Back the Weekend, and Blazing Through Books

Hey Book Blogger Friends! How was your week?

I don’t do Valentine’s Day. I hate it. Ever since middle school when my school had the bright idea to sell flowers and candy you could send to a special someone like the candy cane thing in Mean Girls (and my school did that too) and I was forced back to homeroom at the end of each day to watch the popular girls get stacks and stacks and not once did anyone, not even a friend send me anything… well you get my point. Instead I celebrate “Valloween…” what I like to think of as second Halloween. I decorated a Ghostface mask with pink glitter, watched My Bloody Valentine, and avoided all the cheery people on social media.

I’ve decided to take back my weekends even when I work most of them and go back to basics. I spend most of my time running from one task to another even on my days off that I never get to just.. stop and sip the coffee. So I’m trying to do that more on my weekends. My grandmother and I always used to watch cooking shows on weekend mornings every week and I miss that as much as I miss her.

This week’s snowpocalypse has allowed me to catch up on reading. I read the Web of Silence duet by Leigh Rivers and loved it. I’m definitely in a dark romance mood this week. I’m also making good progress in Onyx Storm and hoping to finish it by tonight.

Last Week on the Blog:

ARC Review: You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego

Title Reveal: Book 3 in the Echo Trails Series by Hannah Marae

This Week on the Blog:

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 17 February 2025

ARC Review: Cold As Hell by Kelley Armstrong

Can’t Wait Wednesday

New Book Mail on My Shelves:Physical:(signed)